Heart of the Soul
by Eval Chylde
Summary: When the wise man of a mountain village is brutally murdered, SeeD is called in to investigate. They must learn the secrets of the very nature of their souls, before the machinations of the murderers lead the world's greatest powers to war...(Quiefer)
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: As you all should know, I don't own FF8 or any of its respective characters; Squaresoft does ((those lucky b@$+ards...))

I would like to take this time to also thank my sister [Saravien], and my brother-in-law [Judas Priest] for helping me with ideas. Without you, there probably wouldn't be much to this fanfiction.

Heart of the Soul

By Eval Chylde

_What is the soul? Where does it come from? Is it born, much like the body? If so, who made the first soul? Why are we reborn? What purpose does it serve us to suffer through life a second, third, fourth, fifth time.._

_Ours is not to question why; ours is but to do and die._

-----------------------+-

The snow was cold against his body, melting through his heavy clothing and soaking him to the bone. His muscles were tense and sore, trying as hard as he could not to shiver. His mouth was clenched shut in fear, but his eyes were wide open and watching the horror unfolding before him.

He wanted to scream; he wanted to close his eyes and make it all go away.

The creatures had appeared out of no where and taken human form. They attacked his master with weapons not native to their village, but familiar somehow. He couldn't think of where he had seen them before. All he could hear pounding in his brain was the screams of his tutor, his idol. 

_Master…!_

The man he had looked up to for so long fell hard to the ground, his blood staining the snow around him crimson. His eyes were locked open, his face contorted in a look of pure fear and shock. His hand clutched the parchment he had been written on when he had sent his apprentice into the trees after the mistletoe. 

_Master, no!_

They became dark shapes again, blending in with the shadows of the trees and slipping through the darkness from whence they came. Amber eyes gleamed and faded like something from a nightmare. How long did he sit there, clinging to the tree for dear life before jumping down to the ground? He'd lost all track of time.

Muttering nonsense, he stumbled over to the fallen corpse of his beloved teacher and collapsed to the ground beside him. He hugged at the shirt the man's wife had made him just a few days ago to protect him from the cold. Salty tears ran uncontrollably down his cheeks, cascading down and mingling with the blood on his hands.

He screamed his voice echoing through the mountains he had grown up in. "Master!!"

-----------------------+-

"I hate winter."

Zell Dincht sighed for the millionth time, his nose pressed firmly against the window of the train. He watched the snow covered fields whizzing by.

"Zell, I think we figured that out the tenth time you said it," Irvine muttered, not looking up from under his hat. He was lounging on the sofa, his feet propped up on the arm and his head in the corner.

"I'm just reiterating in case you guys had forgotten," the blonde retorted. He pushed himself off the back of the couch and flopped down on the bottom bunk.

"You're not reiterating," the cowboy argued, "you're sounding like a broken record."

"At least I only do it in spurts, Kinneas. You sound like one all the time."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he huffed, finally sitting up.

A pair of socks hit him in the forehead just as he sat up, and the two looked at the top bunk. Squall looked like he had when he'd laid down; eyes closed, ankles crossed, arms behind his head. But the two knew he had moved at least one arm to toss the socks in Irvine's general direction.

"It means for both of you to shut up," he muttered, not even giving them a glance. They glared up at him, Irvine looking ready to leap up and strangle him right there. Instead he tossed the socks back, completely missing Squall. They hit the wall and bounced back to the floor, hitting Zell on the way down.

The door slid open just as Zell and pulled back to chunk the socks at the gunslinger, and Quistis stepped through the door.

"Hey, Quisty," Zell piped cheerfully, hiding the socks.

"Hey there. Finally decided to come join me, eh?" Irvine purred.

Quistis just rolled her eyes and looked at Squall. "We're nearly there. The apprentice will be expecting to talk to you, since you are the supervisor of the mission. I certainly hope you have some kind of statement ready to assure him we'll find the murderers."

Silence was her only answer. Not that she had really expected one.

"Get your things ready, boys," she told the other two. "We'll soon be arriving in Yukino."

-+-

Sean Tilvin played nervously with the sleeves of his jacket, leaning forward to watch for the train. He had called SeeD nearly four days ago, begging their Headmaster for help with the investigation. Cid had very happily agreed to send his best team to them, including the newest commander of Garden so he could get out onto the field again.

The train appeared around the mountain and the young man's heart nearly leapt out of his chest from pure joy. SeeD would surely discover who had done this. His fellow villagers were eager to battle the neighboring village, willing to completely skip an investigation. They were so certain the people of Mondera had killed their wise man.

He walked with the slowing train, following the door until the engine heaved to stop. The young brunette rolled forward on the balls of his feet before leaning back, smiling warmly. His heart pounded as the door sighed open and the commander stepped down.

The man, rather boy, was slightly shorter than he was with commanding, stormy blue eyes and wild brown hair. He wore a leather coat with white fur around the coat, giving him a dark animal-like look. One black-leather clad hand rested on his hip, and the other clasped the handle of a weapon Sean had never seen before.

The boy saluted him, his expression never changing. "Squall Leonheart, commander of SeeD Unit 1380. We have been assigned to assist you in the investigation of the murder of Trevor Gillian and bring the murderers to justice." Without waiting for comment, Squall breezed past him and left the train platform.

Then next to appear was a beautiful young woman, whom was as tall as Sean, if not taller. Her eyes were bright and cheerful, and he felt himself smiling and blushing shyly in her presence. Her pale coloured face was framed nicely by her corn-husk hair.

She bowed deeply to him and smiled warmly. "Quistis Trepe. It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Tilvin."

"Please," he breathed, bowing back, "call me Sean."

"Very well," she replied, nodding in understanding. "SeeD will assist you in any way we can."

She stepped to the side, and a third person appeared. Another boy, taller and more lanky than Squall, sauntered out and tipped his cowboy hat to Sean. He had long, earthy coloured hair that gleamed in the winter sunlight. His blue eyes were playful and seductive, like a tiger on the prowl for any willing tigress.

"Irvine Kinneas," he said simply, hefting his duffle bag over his shoulder and following the first boy.

The final SeeD to emerge was bouncy and cheerful, practically leaping down all three steps to get to the platform. He was carrying two bags, one looked like it held his possessions and the other looking like it was Miss Trepe's. His guess was proved correct when he saw the nametag on the carry-on luggage. This boy's eyes were wild with excitement, yet dim with boredom at the same time. He grinned a toothy grin at Sean and ran his fingers through his spikey, blonde hair.

"Yo," he smiled, shifting the duffle bag on his shoulder. "I'm Zell Dincht." He let go of the luggage-on-wheels long enough to shake Sean's hand, first wiping it on the lap of his pants. "Nice t'meet ya."

"The pleasure is mine, I assure you." Sean turned to lead the way to the village, only Quistis and Zell walking with him. "I've eagerly awaited your arrival since Headmaster Cid told me he would be willing to send a team of his special SeeDs to help me."

"The Headmaster said you sounded fervent, even scared, when you had contacted him."

"The villagers are ready to go to war already, without finding out if the neighboring settlement even commited the murder. I do not believe they did, and this idea is very unpopular. I fear for my life from both those who killed my master, and my own village people."

Zell snorted. "Jeez. Once people have an idea stuck in their head, it's hard to change their mind."

The young apprentice nodded. "Our people have fought for many years. No one has ever been killed, though injuries and loss of livestock has occurred."

"Where will we be staying?" Quistis asked.

"At my home," Sean replied. "We will get you all settled in first, then I'll take you to the scene in the morning. I'm afraid the funeral has already taken place, so you can't examine the body."

"How come? Wouldn't really be that hard, would it?" Zell questioned.

"I would think," Sean chuckled, "that it would be hard to examine ashes."

The blonde stopped at stared at his back, blinking in shock. He shook his head and jogged to catch up with them, muttering to himself. Sean smiled and laughed softly; it was the first time he had felt relaxed in the past week.

Surely SeeD would solve this mystery.

-----------------------+-

Zell yawned noisily, blinking hard against the harsh sunlight reflecting off the white snow. He'd heard that they hadn't had a fresh snow in nearly three weeks, so investigating shouldn't be too hard. It did, however, mean they were due for a harsh storm within the week.

Sean started from his master's shop and taken them through the course of the evening. He showed them where the two had sat for a rest, and even the tree he had climbed to retrieve the mistletoe. The footprints were still there, though a bit faded because of the wind. There were also more footprints, from when they had removed the body.

The apprentice was babbling on, giving every single last detail like it was happening that very moment. Zell guessed watching his role model and teacher get killed would be rather devastating, and hard to forget. He tried to imagine watching Quisty or Chen-san being murdered, but swiftly banished the thought.

His feet and mind began to wander as Sean talked on, and he found himself strolling through the woods. _Jeez, and I thought I could talk on forever about nothing, he thought as he kicked at some snow. Occasionally, he would come across some more footprints in the snow, but not very many._

_Hey, there's more over there. How exciting. He walked along, mindlessly following the trail and staring at the prints._

_Whoa!_

The blonde SeeD froze, staring in disbelief at the tracks. They started out human, which wasn't really all that odd, besides the fact they were bare feet. But, gradually, the same trail of tracks became an animal's. He crouched down and brushed his fingers along the first set. They were broad, five-toed… Almost like a wolf's, but much larger.

"Hey, guys!" he called, looking over his shoulder at the others. Sean stopped in mid-sentence to look at him. His teammates turned to look at him, Squall glaring at him. _Probably angry I wandered, but he won't be once he sees this!_

"What is it, Spikey?" Irvine called, making his way through the snow over to him.

"Quit calling me that!" he huffed. "Come check this out! You wouldn't believe me if I just told you."

The four came up to him, leaning to look at where he was pointing. "See these tracks? They change from human," his finger followed the trail as he spoke, "to animal. Practically in one stride they change. Looks wolf to me"

"They're too large to wolf tracks, Zell," Quistis argued. "Perhaps some kind of riding animal?"

"But where's the tracks from where the animal came in? And the prints aren't extra deep, like the animal dropped from the trees. Plus, compare the size of the two prints. The wolf print isn't that much different from the human's."

"Are you suggesting some person turned into an animal?" Sean whispered.

"I don't know what I'm suggesting," the blonde replied.

"Well, **I suggest we follow them and see where it leads," Irvine sighed as he stood. He lead the way deeper into the forest, following the tracks. Squall wandered a ways from the tracks, reappearing to announce he had found more, similar tracks in other places.**

"What do you think we'll find at the…?"

Behind Zell, Sean let out the most high-pitched scream the martial-artist had ever heard escape a male throat. The SeeD team whirled around, seeing Sean thrown to the ground by a massive animal. Thankfully, it had grabbed his walking stick and not his arm.

Quistis was on it in a flash, her whip snapping out and cracking against the animal's flank. It yelped out in pain and jumped away. The beast rounded a tree and came after them, two more appearing from the woods and charging down on them.

"They're huge!" Zell screamed, jumping to the side to avoid the jaws of the massive wolf coming at him. He felt its hot breath brush his cheek, his own breath catching in his lungs. The blonde landed hard in the snow, the cold instantly soaking through the seat of his pants.

The creatures ran around the trees again, circling back toward the small group. They pounded through the snow like the train the SeeD had ridden to this place. Irvine fired a shot, and struck one hard in the shoulder. It barely seemed phased by the gash in its shoulder, slamming hard into him and grasping the boy's gun with its fangs. Zell ran over to help him and jumped on the animal's back, the three wrestling to the ground.

Quistis' whip snapped out and struck the second in the ear. It yelped and circled around her quickly, slamming into her opened side. A well placed thunder bolt sent the beast flying backwards through the air and into a tree. It recovered faster than Quistis did and was tackling her again, tearing at her weapon.

Even Squall was having difficulty with his opponent. He swung his gunblade, each time narrowly missing the creature's shoulder. Its claws reached out and grabbed his side, slicing under the jacket and through the soft flesh. The brown-haired boy fell to the ground, his weapon tumbling from his hand.

"Squall!"

Gunshots rang through the air, hitting one of the animals in the shoulder. It yelped out in pain, the flesh around the wound sizzling like it was hot. The three stopped to look, growling softly. More shots were fired, and another wolf's ear was struck. It yelped in fear, and the beasts turned and retreated back into the forest.

The trio turned to look at Irvine, whose gun was lying several feet away from him. He shook his head, as if to say, "It wasn't me."

"You kids still need protecting, huh?"

They turned to the sound of that all-to familiar voice, staring at the young man jumping down from the trees with his gunblade hoisted over one shoulder and a handgun in the other hand.

"Seifer!"

[ end prologue ]


	2. Chapter I

Heart of the Soul: Part I

By Eval Chylde

_Are there certain souls our own spirit is drawn to? Will there be people we are born with again and again? How do we find these people, our soul mates, through the sands of time? Do the gods bring us together, or do we find ourselves again and again? Will we ever remember the times we shared in our lives before?_

_Death is only the beginning._

-----------------------+-

"I don't really remember what I was thinking while I was defending Edea. I felt this strong urge to protect her, but not because I knew she was our Matron. I can't explain the desire, I don't want to understand it. I just felt it, and don't really regret it.

"I do remember watching Garden float over me, and coming to a realization: that I had to change my ways if I could live with myself. I left Fuijin and Raijin to their own accord and traveled around the world. I wandered aimlessly, never certain of what I was looking for or where I was heading.

"I soon found myself here in Trabia, and at the shattered gates of Trabia Garden. That's when it hit me; the horror of what I had done slammed into me harder than a run away train. I knew tears wouldn't rebuild or resurrect the Garden, so I didn't cry.

"The urge to wander stayed with me, so I did. I found myself here, and had heard a scream and was compelled to assist. I saw you all there, being attacked by those beasts and the urge to protect came rushing back. 

"I again have a purpose. I can again be someone's knight."

The four SeeD sat staring at the back of their ex-school mate, each of them speechless. Not that Squall ever really spoke, but even he looked like he was struggling to speak but couldn't find the words. Had these words really poured from the boy they had fought with all their lives? This had to be a dream, a trick. Didn't it?

The blonde turned and smiled at them, a warm and friendly smile, and laughed. "You don't believe a word I've said, do you?"

Zell, of course, was the first to speak. "You expect us to believe you immediately?!" he blurted. "You destroyed Trabia Garden, nearly destroyed Balamb and its Garden! You don't **honestly expect us to believe you, do you?!"**

"No, Chicken wuss" the older boy replied. "I don't."

"Well, you're dead wrong, you…!" The martial-artist stopped, his mouth gaping open like some surprised fish. He quickly clamped it shut and sat back down. They sat nervously, no one sure what else to say. Finally, Quistis stood and spoke up.

"We thank you for your assistance, Seifer. It was good to see you again; safe journey." She bowed and left the room. Irvine followed suit, pausing to shrug at the other two.

Seifer's head lowered and he sighed. "I didn't expect you all to greet me with open arms if we ever met again." He hefted his bag over his shoulder and smiled warmly at the remaining two SeeD. "I'll be around. Give me a holler if you need any help." And he left, not waiting for any kind of comment or answer.

"What, might I inquire, was that all about?" Sean asked softly after the front door slammed shut.

"Just an old acquaintance," Squall replied. "Nothing important."

-----------------------+-

"Wow!"

Zell ran up to the little shop, his face pressed against the window. "Look at all the cool stuff in there!" Before anyone could protest, the young blonde flung open the door and dashed inside. He slammed hard into someone, getting knocked back to his bottom on the porch outside.

"Jeez!" Zell huffed. "Sorry about that."

He gasped softly, looking up at the man he had run into. He had bright, cheerfully green eyes that glistened like an emerald in summer sunlight. His face was strong yet gentle, a cool smile complimenting his gorgeous features. His skin was sun-kissed, his hair a golden brown that just brushed the top of his ears.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a smooth, unfamiliar accent.

"Yeah," Zell replied, allowing the man to pull him to his feet. "Thanks."

"Ah, Mr. Carter," Sean smiled, shaking hands with the older man. "This is Julian Carter, a biologist. He's here to study a very rare animal that lives in the mountains."

"I'm Zell Dincht," the blonde informed him, grinning and giving a mock salute. "What animal are you looking for?"

"One that is only in legends, and no man has actually seen."

"Mr. Carter; won't you join us for lunch at my home? I would love for you to meet the other three."

Julian laughed and bowed his head. "I would be honored. I stopped into town to get a few supplies I was getting low on. A good, home cooked meal certainly sounds delicious."

"Excellent! Zell, do you mind putting off your shopping spree until a later date?"

The blonde shrugged and smiled shyly. "I don' think that guy's going anywhere. I have no problem with it."

Sean led the way, very happily chattering about what they were going to have for lunch. Zell and Julian followed slowly, trudging through the snow after the young man.

"How long have you been a SeeD?" Julian whispered softly. Zell stared at him for a second, blinking hard. SeeD and its members weren't exactly common knowledge. Few people even knew the organization existed, let alone who was a SeeD.

"How the hell did you…?"

Julian laughed softly, grinning. "I have ways of finding information. You are here to investigate a murder, are you not?"

"Yes, I am."

"Do be careful, Zell." Julian's face suddenly became very dark and serious, his voice lowering to a harsh whisper Zell could barely hear. "There are dangerous beings in those woods; creatures you can't hope to understand nor overcome. They will tear you apart."

The blonde stopped to stare at the older man, who continued after Sean. "Sean!" he called. "Will you be making those delightful biscuits of yours?"

-----------------------+-

The smaller boy looked up at his commander, knowing Squall was carefully analyzing each word of the conversation. Zell had admitted he didn't recite it exactly the way it had happened, but couldn't remember it word-for-word like Squall wanted it.

"You're making something out of nothing," Squall finally concluded. "He's investigating a rare animal; perhaps this is what he's warning against."

"Those large dogs that attacked us, perhaps?" Quistis said thoughtfully, sipping at her hot cocoa.

Squall snorted softly, crouching down in the snow. The group had returned to the scene, hoping to try and follow the tracks to their source before the storm hit. SeeD had been wandering around for about an hour before taking a break to warm up.

"You're sure we're in the right area?" Irvine asked, dusting off his jacket. "We've been circling the same area for the past 45 minutes. Maybe we missed it?"

"No," Squall said simply, glaring at the gunslinger to dismiss further argument.

"What are you telling us, man?" Zell huffed, holding out his cup so Quistis could pour him some cocoa. "That someone came out and erased the tracks?"

Silence was their only answer.

"Who would do that, though?" Quistis wondered. "That Julian fellow? Someone from the village?"

"Or the people who made the tracks," Zell suggested.

Irvine sighed and shifted his gun on his shoulder. "I still say the idea of one living thing making those tracks is crazy, Spikey."

Quistis finished her drink and returned her cup to the bag. She pulled the duffle over her shoulder and turned toward the sun, in the direction of town. "Who knows; perhaps someone used magic to make themselves change.

"Here's another question for our list," Squall said softly, turning to look back from where they had come from. He turned again to look at his fellow SeeDs. "How could someone erase the tracks and not make new ones?"

Zell stared at his stoic leader, scratching his head and looking at the ground like the answer was in the snow. Quistis pondered the question while she gazed up at the sky through the barren trees. Irvine pushed his hat back and sighed.

"Great," the gunslinger muttered. "Just one more to a very long list. Soon it'll be as long as my list of ladies."

"I wish," Zell breathed, rolling his eyes. "That woulda been one damn short list. We shoulda stopped about five questions ago."

"There's nothing more we can do for the time being," Quistis informed everyone, already trudging through the snow back toward Sean's home. "The storm will be here soon; we had better head back." She led the way through the woods along the path they had made. Zell kicked at the snow, but followed along behind.

How much evidence would they loose thanks to Mother Nature?

-----------------------+-

The winds outside were wailing, telling of the forth coming storm as it grew nearer to the small town. The barren trees outside swayed and bent in the wind and tapped against the glass of the windows. Freezing temperatures and cascading snowflakes stopped outside, and the atmosphere inside was warm and safe. 

Silver clinked against plates, the four SeeD devouring themselves in the wholesome meal Sean had prepared while they were out investigating. No one spoke, thinking about the days events and trying to put at least the border of the puzzle together.

Of course, Zell was the one to break the silence.

The blonde let his fork fall to his plate. "We should have stayed out there a little bit longer. Maybe a few minutes would have made the difference. We could have found some type of clue."

"Zell, we'll never solve this mystery if we're frozen stiff in the snow," Quistis said calmly, sipping silently at her soup.

"Squall?" Zell questioned, hoping the silent boy had taken his side and just wasn't saying so yet. Their scarred leader glanced up at him, but offered no comment before returning to his meal.

"Give it a rest, Spikey," Irvine chuckled as he pulled apart a biscuit.

"Sqall, don't you think there's more to this than what the village people are making?" Zell pushed. "What about what Sean had said about the strange, dark shapes? Those tracks were obviously made by the same being."

Finally, Squall set his fork down and looked at the blonde. "I have to agree with Kinneas; the idea is ridiculous." He picked up a bowl and served himself more corn before returning to his supper.

"Y-you agree with **him?" the martial artist stuttered. Silence fell over them as he fumed, his long canine digging into his bottom lip as he snarled. His fists slammed on the table by his plate as he stood; he shook the entire table and all eyes fell on him.**

"That figures. And I suppose you agree with him about the same people coming back and erasing the tracks ridiculous? And that there's more to this than a couple fuming towns? And that I look like a drowned rat after I've taken a shower? What else to you agree with Kinneas on? How big your dicks and small your minds are?!"

"Zell," Quistis said calmly, reaching out to touch the blonde. He shoved his chair back, practically flipping it over, and stormed over to the door. He grabbed his coat and slipped it on as he burst out into the cold. The door slammed shut behind him, and left silence in the tiny, warm cottage.

Sean stared at the remaining SeeDs, wondering why someone wasn't going after the blonde. Quistis stood and made for the door, but Squall's hand stopped her.

"He'll be back," he assured them. "The cold will hit him, and he'll come back."

_I hope you're right, Mr. Leonheart, Sean thought, turning to stare at the snow-covered window behind him._

-+-

Zell leaned into the wind, trying to block his eyes from the piercing snowflakes with his arm. He felt like the heat of his anger could melt everything around him.

_They don't take me seriously, he fumed, wishing he had something or someone to hit. __They always take whatever I say as a big joke. Like I don't know anything, and I'm just a stupid, loud-mouthed fighter. Well they're wrong!_

He sneezed hard, the convulsion shaking his entire body. "They're all… wrong…"

How long had he walked? Zell turned to look back the way he had come, expecting to see the house. Snow, trees, and darkness was all his eyes surveyed. He couldn't even see the tracks he had just made. What shit had he gotten himself into now?

Zell felt suddenly tired, like he had been running for hundreds of miles. He just wanted to collapse and sleep. His knees buckled and he tumbled to the snow, his mouth just barely above the surface so he could breathe.

_So tired…_

His eyes grew heavy, and exhaustion slammed into him like a raging Behemoth. Breathing became difficult and painful; he wheezed hard, trying to push himself back up to his feet. He managed to lift his body a couple inches before falling back to the ground.

_Damn you, Squall. Darkness completely engulfed him, and he felt his fingers starting to go numb as he clenched them into a fist. _

_You never… believe in me…_

"Well," he heard a soft voice whisper through the haze. "You certainly don't belong out here." Strong hands lifted him from the snow, and something soft and warm brushed his cheek. The blonde tried to force his eyes open to see who it was; his body gave up, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

-----------------------+-

_Fire and smoke clouded his eyes, keeping him from seeing the road ahead of him. He ran as fast as his small, bare feet could carry him. He just had to make it in time!_

_The lights of his adoptive home was just in front of him, the flames dancing across the plains and toward the building. He could hear them behind him, howling and snarling as they neared. The beasts were massive and much faster than he was. Would he reach her in time for her to protect him?_

_Strong hands lifted him from the ground suddenly, carrying him away from the house. "Wait!" he wailed. "Mama!"_

_"Your mother is safe!" the man assured him. They ran much faster than the monsters nipping at their heals; they left everything, the fires, the monsters, the home he grew up in, far behind them. The mountains that he'd only seen from a distance grew closer, and they were trekking up them. The man let him down, and the two continued to run side by side._

_"What's hap'ning, mister?" he asked curiously._

_The man slowed to a stop and turned to look at him. He was tiny, even for a human. His black hair was ruffled around his face, his gray eyes large and sad._

_"Something you are much too young to understand, ningen. Do not worry; just as these events have come and gone in the past without much significance… So will this."_

_He turned and led the way up the mountain, a tiny cottage appearing from within the trees._

[ end part i ]


	3. Chapter II

Heart of the Soul: Part II

By Eval Chylde

_What other things exist in our lives that we are unaware of? Are humans so naïve that they believe they are the only intelligent creatures on this earth? How many other things live amongst us that we are unaware of, knowing their existence only in the moments before our death?_

_…There is a world that exists beyond what we see, hear, smell, and taste._

-----------------------+-

 "Train, train, take me away…"

Rinoa looked up from her seat, watching Selphie staring out of the window of the train, just as she always did. Every trip they took, the young brunette jumped to the window so she could watch the scenery roll by. She smiled silently, rolling her head gracefully to look at the new SeeD sitting next to her.

Nikalos was sitting on the couch in the bedroom provided to them by the train. He had one foot pulled up on the couch, thumbing the strings of a small guitar. The young man had short, ginger-coloured hair and shining green eyes. His skin was fair, the colour of tropical beach sand; his lips were curled in the slightest hint of a smile as he hummed along with his playing. 

Every time he looked at her, Rinoa felt a giggle growing in her chest and the blood burning in her cheeks. He glanced up at her, and she had to tear her eyes away from him so that it didn't seem like she was staring. _Squall, Squall, Squall, she had to think, to get her mind off the beautiful man sitting in the bedroom they had to share._

_What is **wrong with me…?**_

Even though they had graduated together, Nikalos was a new addition to Balamb Garden. He schooled in Galbadia, finally drifting into Balamb. Rinoa decided to officially become part of SeeD so she didn't have to come up with an excuse to go with them every time the group went on a mission.

"We'll be arriving soon," he suddenly said, pausing in his playing.

"I know," Selphie sighed, thumping her forehead against the glass. "I wish we were going further; it would be so much nicer."

Rinoa laughed softly, pulling her legs to her chest and hugging her knees. "I think Selphie would have liked to have gone with the others."

"I have yet to meet the ever-famous Squall," the ginger-haired man commented, putting away his guitar. "I would like to soon."

"You will once we're done with this mission," Rinoa assured him. "I think you'll like him. He seems cold-hearted at first, but there's really a wonderful guy under that stoic overcoat."

Nikalos chuckled. "You make it sound like this mission will be a snap. From my experience, missions given to you by a Garden are never easy."

Sounds of metal grinding metal pierced the air, and the whoosh of the breaks rose over the noise as the train lurched to a stop. They gathered their things and filed out of the car. The metal door slid open, and an elderly gentleman turned to look up at them.

"Ah, finally you've arrived!" he sighed, his accent thick and foreign. He clasped his hands to his chest and grinned at them. "My mistress has been eagerly awaiting your arrival! Come, come!"

He snatched away a few items of their baggage, several more men arriving and taking the rest of their possessions. Rinoa seemed to be enjoying herself, and Selphie didn't seem to really care about what was going on. Nikalos clung possessively to his guitar case, but allowed them to take his baggage after much staring. He wasn't sure about being treated this way; **he most certainly wasn't used to being waited on.**

_This is going to be a tough trip, he thought to himself as he followed the group to the car._

-----------------------+-

"_How are things unfolding?"_

The younger of the two men looked up from his drink, swirling the ice around in the amber liquid. A small smile curled along his lips, a fang gleaming against his beautiful lips in the dim light.

"_Wonderfully," he replied in their secret tongue. He took a drink before continuing, staring at the waitress as she walked by. "__The plan has nearly been completed."_

"_Don't screw this one up, Gavin," the older man growled, grabbing the other man's chin. His gray eyes narrowed and pierced Gavin's pools of green. "__Remember the last time you tried this? You got distracted by a silly boy."_

He snatched the hand that clung to his chin, squeezing the wrist. "_He was more than that, and you know it. It was part of the plan to get him to help us. A lycanthrope of that power would have allowed us to advance faster than we had planned."_

Gavin paused, releasing the man's hand so he could take another drink. "_All that's left is a little inspiration for the two super powers of the world." His eyes narrowed and darkened, like the forests at dusk. "__There is, however one slight problem. One that needs to be taken care of."_

"_So, take care of it!" the older man hissed._

"_Don't expect me to take care of such petty things as a small group of foreign humans, Xander. Find another lycanthrope for the job." He finished his drink, slamming the glass on the table. He stood, placing both hands firmly on the table so he could lean over to the other man._

"We're so close," he whispered in common, snarling softly. "Don't **you mess this up; the elders will not be pleased. And we know what happens when they aren't happy." He quirked his eyebrows, pushing of the table and smiling crookedly.**

Xander leaned back and watched him leave, sighing softly. Why did that pup leave him shivering in his seat every time they met?

-----------------------+-

Zell stirred, his hand instantly going to his forehead to try and rub away the pain. He attempted to move, but could barely even wiggle his feet. His eyes flew open and he sat up, sending a couple of the heavy blankets that covered him into the floor.

"Good," a soft voice said behind him. He turned and saw the man he'd met in town. What was his name again…? "You're finally awake."

"What… happened to me?" Zell muttered, slowly lying back down. The young man stood and came over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I found you out in the storm last night. A person of your size shouldn't frolic in blizzards, you know. It's not safe."

"Are you calling me small?" Zell grumbled, glaring up at him. Julian! That was his name.

He chuckled but offered no reply. "You are hungry, I'm sure. You've been asleep for over a day. Something must have certainly worn you out, even before the storm." He stood and went to the fire place, pouring the contents of a small pot over the fire into a bowl. The older man brought it back and helped Zell sit up before giving him the bowl and a spoon.

"It is good to see you are well, little one," Julian said softly. Zell didn't even pause as he scooped the warm food into his mouth. The golden-haired man watched with smiling eyes as the blonde devoured the soup and handed him the bowl again.

"Your friends will miss you; we should get you back. I'll fetch your clothes."

Zell pouted a little, thumping his feet together as Julian disappeared into the other room to the side. He came back with Zell's clothing folded neatly in his arms. He set them down on the bed, his brow furrowing as he noticed the SeeD's sour expression.

"Something wrong?"

"I wouldn't call them my friends," he replied softly. "They certainly don't feel like they are right now. More like business associates."

Chuckling softly, Julian sat on the bed and rested his hand on Zell's. "I'm sure they are very worried about you, and searching for you this very minute. They might not say, but they care for you very much. Something like that does not need to be said; they are felt when in the presence of those you love and are loved by.

"Now, come," he ordered, patting his hand. "Stop this nonsense and get changed. You have a large task on your plate, and you must hurry to complete it."

Before Zell could ask what he meant, Julian left the room so the younger man could change in private. He stared at his clothes for a moment before tossing away the covers and standing. Julian was right; he had a job to do, and sulking certainly wasn't going to get it done.

He would have to worry about his problem with the others later.

-----------------------+-

"Wheee!" Selphie squealed, flying in the air and rolling into a ball. She made impact, and was sent into the air again, giggling like a lunatic.

"I see she's very excited," Nikalos chuckled, setting his guitar case on the bed he was given. He looked at the girl bouncing on her bed through the door that connected their two rooms. She had changed into a pair of shorts and a sleeveless top before her exploration of the room, thank goodness.

"She always is," Rinoa commented, smiling fondly at her comrade. She looked back at Nikalos in time to see him pull of his shirt. He stretched before leaning down to select a nicer one from his bag, his muscles rippling under his sleek skin like a cat on the prowl. The younger girl felt herself blushing again, and staring, and had to force her eyes away.

"What do you suppose this girl will be like?" he asked, pulling on a silky black shirt that glimmered green when the light hit it just right.

"I hope she's not snobbish, like a lot of rich and important girls are," Selphie commented, bouncing into Nikalos' room. She stopped and held her hands up in defense to Rinoa. "Not that you're like that! I mean, you're not at all like any rich girls I've met!"

Rinoa laughed softly and smiled. "It's okay; I know you didn't mean me."

"Excuse me," a voice sounded outside the door. Rinoa hopped up and opened the door. The elderly man from the train stop, who had introduced himself as Richard, was standing in the hallway. "Dinner is ready, and Miss Teresa awaits your arrival."

"Whoo hoo!" Selphie cried. "Food!"

The other two quietly followed, Selphie quickly disappearing around the corner at the end of the hallway.

"She is quite active, isn't she?" Richard chuckled softly.

They followed in silence, except for the occasional squeal or giggle echoing through the hallways. Everywhere they went, there was someone cleaning. Young and old dusting, mopping, washing windows, shining displays of armor. No one seemed to notice them, complete oblivious to their presence as they walked by.

Finally they came to two large, wooden doors decorated with flowers and tiny angels. The doors swung open, revealing a long, candlelit dinning hall. Nikalos stopped and gasped, staring at the elaborate paintings that covered the walls and flowed up to the ceilings. He was ushered to his seat by a young man, and quickly served.

Selphie was already eating, chatting with a girl who couldn't be much older than the brunette. She had fiery red hair and large, friendly green eyes. Her face looked incredibly pale next to the locks of curly hair framing her face, her cheeks kissed with a few freckles.

"Sounds like an exciting life!" the girl gasped, giggling softly. She looked over at them and smiled, her eyes widening once they fell on Nikalos. "Well," she breathed. "Welcome! I'm so glad you could come! I knew my daddy would find **someone to protect me!"**

"We're glad to be of service, Miss Teresa," Rinoa said politely, smiling and bowing her head.

"Please, just call me Teresa," she informed them, turning toward her plate. "Selphie started telling me about some of the wonderful adventures you had!"

"Oh!" Rinoa breathed, lighting up. "Did she tell you about the sorceress yet?"

"No! Tell me, tell me!"

"I wouldn't exactly call our missions 'adventures,'" Nikalos muttered, but no one seemed to hear him. They were already plunged into the story of how they defeated the sorceresses. Selphie and Rinoa would switch off telling the story, sometimes saying things together.

_This is going to be a tough, **long trip, Nikalos groaned to himself, sipping at his drink.**_

-----------------------+-

"This problem looks like it might get bigger than two quarreling towns."

Squall stood at the head of the room, reading the message delivered to them that morning from Headmaster Cid. The young leader had read it in silent first, since it was addressed to him, but felt the others should hear it as well.

Just as Zell had figured, the celebration of his return was short lived. He felt a pang of anger when Squall refocused everyone on the mission with his announcement of the letter, but quickly pushed it aside. Mission first, problem later.

Once he was sure he had everyone's attention, he began to read the letter aloud. "'As you all know, Yukino is only a half hour boat ride away from the outer borders of Esthar. What you do not know, and we have discovered, is that the small village on the other side of the mountain, Mondera, is part of a trade route with Galbadia.'"

"Jeez," Zell sighed, rolling his eyes. "They would have to play some part in this, wouldn't they?"

Squall glanced up at him, but said nothing. "'They export a rare resource to Galbadia found in the caverns on their side of the mountain. The idea of losing the source of their supply is stirring Galbadia into thinking of taking action in the battle that is looming over the two towns.

"'In light of this knowledge, Esthar is also being stirred to move. The idea of Galbadia storming a town so close to their border does not settle well with the Esthar people and government. They are prepared to send a small army into Yukino, should Galbadia get involved.'"

"Whoa!" Zell cried. "This thing could blow into a full-fledge war if those two get involved!"

"Exactly why the Headmaster is worried," Squall confirmed. "He wants us to solve this mystery before either of the two villages has a chance to act on their anger."

"Run by me why the other village's so pissed?" Zell said softly, leaning forward on the couch and resting his arms on his knees.

"Because our village people accused them of the murder, when they say they didn't do it," Sean explained.

"But why would they if the first place?" Zell asked. "So, some important dude in your village was killed. It could have been anyone."

"Did they have something to spark that idea?" Quistis inquired.

"Yes," Sean replied, nodding. "Weapons were found at the murder scene; they were made of black silver, the resource that your headmaster spoke of. Something only found in their caverns, and only they make weapons of that nature."

"What does Galbadia use it for?" the older blonde asked.

"To decorate their homes."

Quistis snorted softly and whispered, "Only in Galbadia," more to herself than anyone else.

"You didn't let me finish, Lady Quistis. They also use it as a component in their guns to make them stronger and more durable."

_Is that why that damn thing didn't break when I stomped on it? Zell thought, staring at the ceiling._

Irvine leaned forward, finally offering his opinion. "But, if they really wanted to kill him, would they have been stupid enough to leave evidence that it was most definitely them behind? It just doesn't make sense. Why would they want to spark a battle?"

Sean sighed softly. "Our towns have always been on the verge of battle. They know how important that resource is to Galbadia, and only they know how to harvest it properly. They'd take their methods to their death. In knowing this, they know that Galbadia would back them if they were to ever go to war with us. That gives them confidence."

"Yet," Quistis said softly, "you still don't believe they did it?"

"No, I do not. I don't know what I saw coming out of the forest to kill my master, but I do know they were not human."

"Whatever the case may be," Squall said softly, sitting down on the sofa between Zell and Irvine, "we've got to get this all figured out before Galbadia acts. Find the murderers, punish them, and calm the people."

_I'm glad Squall thinks this is that simple, Irvine thought, watching their leader go over what they managed to dig up while Zell was absent. __I have a feeling solving this murder isn't going to be the end of it._

He leaned forward, helping to clarify some of Squall's notes to Zell. He might have been a good leader, and excellent fighter… But his handwriting still needed a little bit of work.

This wasn't going to be tough. Concluding this without a war was going to be damn near impossible.

[ end part ii ]


	4. Chapter III

Heart of the Soul: Part III

By Eval Chylde

_Do you see them? Do you hear them? Can you understand that you never will? How will we meet our end? In the arms of our loved ones, or the jaws of a beast that sees us as just food? Is that really the end? Will meet the same fate in another life, or can we change destiny? Who decided just what will happen to us?_

_Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death, I shall fear no evil._

-----------------------+-

"It was the most horrific experience I had ever been through. I've tried my hardest to recall an event worse than this without any kind of success."

Teresa was sitting in a very large, cushioned seat. The three SeeD sat on the couch, leaning forward to better hear the girl's whispers over the crackling of the fireplace. Selphie was munching on some tea biscuits, staring at the girl like a child gazed in awe at their grandfather as he told them tales of old.

"I was walking home from a ball. The boy I had gone with flirted with every female in sight, and I got tired of it. I told him I was leaving, and he said I wouldn't go without him. Well, I just **had to prove him wrong, so I left. This whole thing is his fault!"**

She tossed herself back in her seat, playing with her curls of hair as she looked at the fire. "I couldn't quite remember the way home, since I rarely walked the streets without a guide. I found myself in the lower-classed part of town, scared by every little thing that moved.

"I was almost to the hotel where I knew the clerk when he came flying out of the shadows at me…"

_'A young girl,' he thought, his eyes widening at the sight. Her heart was pounding with fear, driving him mad like the beat of a drum. He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her warm body close. The pain in his arms and side throbbed and he felt his own excitement growing._

_His nails lashed out, slicing a fine gash along the base of her neck. Growling with hunger, his lips latched on and he began to suckle the life-giving liquid._

"It was so gross! I could feel the blood from his wounds on my hands and soaking through my dress. My beautiful dress! The tingling feeling wouldn't go away as the guy sucked at my skin. I had thought I was going to be sick."

_Dizziness swept over him, and he pushed the girl away. He himself slammed into the wall, panting hard to regain rational thought. He tilted his head back, snarling in pain as his wounds began to heal. All he could smell was the girl's blood on his lips; all he could hear was her harsh breathing and pounding heart._

_Looking at her, he stumbled forward and grabbed for her. The girl kicked and screamed, her heel smacking into his shin. He couldn't feel the sting of pain; it was nothing compared to the ache in his stomach and lacing up his sides._

"I screamed again and he stared at me with his glazed eyes. The man blinked a few times, than gasped; he turned and ran, tripping at least four times before he disappeared back into the shadows. I didn't get a very good look at his face, since it was so dark. I just don't see well in dim light."

Nikalos leaned back and closed his eyes, frowning softly. He had never heard of such a thing happening except for in horror stories. He dared not speak his opinion, but it sounded like she was attacked by some lunatic who thought he was a vampire. Such people could be dangerous, and had to be stopped as quickly as possible.

Selphie leapt up and put her fist to her chest, grinning like a fool. "Don't worry, Miss Teresa! With SeeD on the job, we'll not only protect you, but we'll also catch the culprit!" 

"I knew I could count on you to help me!" the girl said, equally as enthused. The two giggled like mad, quickly forgetting the entire ordeal and going back into Selphie's stories of their 'adventures.'

Nikalos excused himself and left the room, going upstairs to their bedrooms and stepping onto the veranda. He gazed up at the night sky, sighing softly. All they could do without a description of the perpetrator was wait for the man to attack her again.

How long would they have to wait, though?

-----------------------+-

Squall gazed a Griever, saying a silent prayer that they solved this before it was too late. He tucked the silver lion into his shirt, keeping it close to his heart. He pulled on his winter jacket, fastening the series of buttons so it was snug against his body. 

The young man looked around and watched his teammates as they prepared for the trek into the mountain. Even though the man still insisted he accompanied them, it had been decided that Sean stay in town. His job was to keep the townsfolk calm until they came up with something.

The team was wearing winter variations of their favorite outfits, except for Quistis. The older woman had donned curve-hugging light gray pants and white shirt. Her coat fit snuggly around her, thick enough to keep out the cold, and had a fur-lined hood she was pulling up over her blonde hair. She wore knee-high hiking boots laced tight enough to ensure not even a trickle of icy snow leaked in next to her skin.

"We will return in two weeks time."

"If we're not, send out a search party," Zell added, pulling up a duffle back over his shoulder. 

"With Squall as out navigator, maybe we should make it three weeks," Irvine commented, pulling up the hood of his fur-lined duster. For once, he was going somewhere without his cowboy hat. "You know how he is; can't read a map, never asks for directions."

Ignoring the two, Squall continued. "We will try to contact you in a couple of days to see if any further instructions have come from Cid." He handed Sean a small radio and showed him how it worked. "The signal is strong enough that we should be able to get through, weather pending."

"If Irvine sneezes, we're fucked." Zell ducked to avoid being hit with the pair of socks suddenly flung in his direction. Squall sighed and shook his head, leaving the cabin without another word. Quistis caught up with him, watching his face carefully before commenting.

"Don't be upset with them; they know this mission is important. They're just trying to make it easier to get through it with their sanity."

"Sure they haven't lost it already?"

Quistis laughed softly, her breath misting and rising into the air. "What do you think we'll find up there?"

"Not sure."

"I know how we can mark our path!" Zell called to them. "Just plop down and make snow angels every so many yards!"

_We will get through this, Griever. I'm sure of it._

-+-

Squall turned to make sure his team was still behind him. Quistis had long since dropped down to last in line, Zell being the closest on to him. Irvine kept back with the older woman to make sure she didn't need help, the winds occasionally tossing up the snow and blocking the two from view.

The scarred leader turned and dug a little ahead of him in the snow with the walking stick given to them by Sean. The snow pressed hard against his groin, and he had a funny feeling his feet still weren't touching the ground. When the snow had started getting deeper, he had tried to make a path with the stick. He soon learned to just loosen the snow enough for them to stalk through it.

A gust of wind blew up, throwing blinding snow at them. Squall turned his head, blocking his eyes with his arm and the fur that lined the neck of his coat. It died down again, and he looked around them to see if he could find a place for the team to rest for the night.

He spotted a small grouping of rocks protruding from the mountain and out of the snow. Gesturing for the others to follow him, he trudged along towards it in hopes that they could find shelter there. He dropped his gunblade case and dug through the snow. Zell came up behind him and saw what he was doing, and quickly began to help.

Between the two of them, they found the opening into the rocks before Irvine arrived. Zell slipped down into the opening to investigate, his slim body easily sliding through. He dropped a few feet to the floor, surprised to see there was enough headroom to stand comfortably. 

"Come on down!" he called, stepping to the side so no one would fall on him. Squall dropped his gunblade case down first; Zell managed to catch it before it hit the floor and pulled it safely to the side. Quistis was next, the two boys catching her for extra balance. Irvine tossed down the bag of supplies he had been carrying before sliding down.

"This is perfect," Quistis commented, looking around. The ceiling of the cave was barely half a foot above the top of Irvine's head. The group wandered around, the older blonde running her gloved hands along the smooth surface of the rock.

"It's almost like someone carved this," she said softly.

"We'll rest here for the night," Squall announced. "I'll wake everyone in the morning so we can eat and get moving again."

Everyone pulled out their sleeping bags, Irvine taking a bit longer than everyone else since he had to dig his out from around the food supplies and extra ammo he had stuffed in his bag. Squall found a place near the entrance to sleep; Zell laid his sleeping bag on a small platform, snuggling down in his blankets and peeking out at their leader. 

Quistis undid her hair and used her jacket as an extra blanket, curling in a small nook she found so she could have some privacy. Irvine offered to join her for some extra body heat, but she politely declined.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he muttered as he scooted down into his own sleeping bag.

Zell watched Squall as the young man made a small fire to generate a little more heat for the group before he laid down. He stared at the ceiling, his breathing stirring his soft brown hair as he drifted to sleep. The sounds of his companions' breathing slowed and grew deep. Zell pulled the covers away from his face a bit so he could look around the cave more comfortably.

It was an odd thought, but this place felt somehow familiar. He was certain he had been there before. Not with nearly as many people, and for a much different reason, however. A blush curled along his pale cheeks, and he ducked back into his sleeping bag to hide it.

His sapphire eyes slid closed, and he tried to get some rest. The small martial artist was soon rolling constantly in his sleep. He kept trying to figure out why this tiny cave in the middle of no where was so familiar, but couldn't seem to quite grasp the memory.

"Zell?" he heard Squall whisper. It felt like his heart leapt into his throat as he tried to speak.

"Yeah?" he managed to choke out.

"Did you hear something?"

The blonde froze, holding his breath as he tried to calm his heart. He strained to hear whatever it was that he awakened Squall, but to no avail. He was about to laugh and tell his leader that he must have been dreaming when a soft growl rose above the whistles of the wind outside.

Irvine sat up, reaching for his gun. "What the hell was…?"

With a great roar, a massive beast burst through the opening of the cave. Snow and rocks tumbled inside, nearly knocking out the fire. Squall rolled away, the animal swinging up its claw and smacking the young man away. He slammed hard into the wall, more snow trickling into the shelter.

Zell was out of his makeshift bed in a flash, his fist slamming hard into the beasts' side as he flew at it. It grabbed him in its jaws and tossed him upward, sending him flying out of the cave and into the deep snow. He scurried to his feet, sputtering snow and anger as he snarled. 

He froze, gazing around him in shock. "Oh shit," he cursed under his breath, the three animals surrounding him closing in fast.

Quistis came out of her nook, her whip snapping out and catching the animal in the flank. It turned on her, distracted enough so that Squall could grab his case. Irvine fired two shots, the ammo slicing cleanly through its back, barely slowing it down. 

The older woman enchanted her whip quickly with a blizzaga, the frozen tip cracking hard against the beast's muzzle. It yelped in pain and snarled angrily, swinging its claw and catching her in the leg. Irvine loaded his armor piercers, bracing himself on the cave floor as he fired.

The force of the shot knocked him back against the wall, but the bullet proved its worth. The animal's flank erupted in blood and fur, the cave echoing with its howls.

-+-

Seifer peered over the ridge, scanning the small valley bellow him at the battle unfolding. He could see Dincht fighting off three of the large wolves, the fourth no where to be seen.

_It must have dived into the cave, he thought, loading his pistol. __Quistis will be fine; it's the other three goofs I'm worried about._

He aimed carefully, waiting patiently for the right moment to fire. Every time he saw his opportunity, however, Chicken Wuss got in the way again. He would have to lecture him about keeping a little more still later; tease him in some way so the boy would prove to Seifer he could keep still.

A shadow moved to his right, just out of his view, and his instincts took aim. The young man that Zell had bumped into the village before, and who had rescued Zell from the storm, peered at Seifer from behind a massive evergreen.

_I think I'll let Julian save Dincht again, he thought as he pulled back his weapon. __He seems to do it so well._

The golden-haired man nodded at Seifer and disappeared into the shadows again. The young ex-SeeD had a feeling that, if Julian hadn't wanted Seifer to seem him, he would have never spotted the young man.

Clicking the safety on and holstering his pistol, Seifer crept back to his ridge to continue watching Zell curse and punch as he tried to ward off the beasts coming down on him for a third attack.

-+-

"Shit, shit, shit!" Zell cursed, his fists slamming hard into the muzzle of one of the massive wolves coming at him. It yelped and stumbled back a bit before recovering and knocking the boy to the ground. It caught the sleeve of his jacket and tried ripping it off.

"Fira!" he growled at it as he placed his palm against its chest. The force of the magic that burst forward blew the animal off of him; it landed on one of its comrades while the other one continued to charge.

"Shiva, where the hell are you!?"

A pillar of snow burst up in front of him, the force of it sending the leaping animal backwards again. Dancing with the snow where sparkles of blue light, which Zell knew where tiny flecks of ice. Within the pillar he could just see a female figure taking shape, the ice building up around her and encasing her body. 

"It's about damn time," he growled at her.

_"**I came as quickly as I always do," she pointed out to him.**_

"Yeah, well… It felt like a lot longer."

Her sweet laughter tingled in his ears, the ice erupting and sending the snow out in a wave. The wolves were tossed back again, snarling in anger as they quickly recovered and charged. Light danced and collected around the blue-skinned woman as she leaned back, the snows whirling up around her and blinding the beasts.

A sheet of ice covered their enemies in one smooth wave, the force of the energy that followed shattering the ice and sending it spiraling into the night sky. Zell peered around his guardian, seeing the piles of snow lying just out of the blue light that Shiva gave off.

"Yeah, baby!" he cheered, punching the air. "We sure showed them this time, huh?"

_"**I'm not so certain about that, Zell."**_

He froze, staring at her questionably. The boy was about to ask what she meant when the snows that had buried the animals moved.

"Shit!"

All three burst out of the snow, charging at full speed and snarling furiously. Shiva reared back, preparing for another attack as she moved to defend Zell.

The animals suddenly stopped, their ears flattening and their tails tucking between their legs. Combinations of angry growls and whimpers rumbled deep in their chests. The three turned quickly and ran through the snow, disappearing into the night.

Zell's jaw dropped, his eyebrow perking as he watched them go. "Wha?"

"That certainly looked like an unfair fight, eh?"

The guardian and SeeD turned to look, watching as Julian strolled up to them. He smiled down at Zell from his perch atop the snow.

"You did very well for a little human," he chuckled, glancing at Shiva. "Even though you did call the help of a goddess."

"Shiva's my best guardian," Zell said, trying desperately to figure out how Julian was walking atop the snow.

_"**I must be going. Until you need me again, Zell." The ice-woman bowed to him before disappearing in a twinkle of blue light and ice.**_

"Crap!" Zell gasped, suddenly remembering the other. He leapt down into the opening of their shelter, much larger now thanks to their attacker. Julian followed, landing silently beside him.

The three other SeeDs were behind them, the animal that had attacked them in a heap against the opposite wall. Zell's nose wrinkled at the scent of blood, their walls now painted a rich red and slashed with rust-coloured fur.

"It stopped attacking," Quistis explained to Zell, "but every time we get near it, it lashes out."

"He's trying to heal," Julian said softly, barely audible. He walked carefully up to the fallen beast, reaching out to touch its fur. It jerked away from his hand and groaned, snorting softly.

"_Don't touch me, Julian," the animal growled to him, the noises in its throat and the twitching of his ears communicating everything to the young man. "__I know what you mean to do, and you won't succeed. You can kill me, but you are not going to save the humans."_

"_Don't be so foolish," the golden-haired man sighed, stroking the beast's fur. "__You are only right about one thing." He pulled out a long, silver dagger decorated with moonstones and rubies. Pushing the animal's front leg up, he place the tip of the blade against its chest._

"_Go in peace, brother; and may the goddess have mercy on your soul."_

Zell tried to peek around Julian to see what he was doing. When the young man stood again, the animal was lying peacefully where it had fallen. Julian pulled out a cloth and wiped the blade of a gorgeous, long dagger clean. He looked almost sad, sighing softly before smiling at Zell.

"I don't think you young people want to go through an adventure like that again. There is a cabin near by where you may come and rest. It is but a tiny thing, so I hope you all will be comfortable."

-+-

"He calls **this tiny?!"**

The four SeeD stood in the entrance to Julian's 'tiny cabin,' staring around in amazement. It was at least twice the size of Sean's home, the wooden walls decorated in animal furs and paintings. The young man guided them through the foyer to the stairs, watching them with smiling eyes as they gazed around.

The stairs led to a small balcony which overlooked the main hall and the mountain. The ceiling and outside wall were glass, the moon peering from behind the clouds left from to-day's snow storm. Julian showed Quistis to her own, private room; a fire was already roaring in the fireplace, and the table beside the bed was adorned with tea and a bowl of steaming soup.

"Unfortunately, we only have one other room available," Julian apologized, opening the door to the room for the three boys. They filed in and picked their beds, dumping their bags beside them. Zell flopped down, bouncing on the bed before lying still.

"There are other people here?" Squall inquired, stopping beside Julian.

"Yes," the older man replied. "You will meet them in the morning. Try and get some rest; you're going to need it tomorrow." He bowed to them and left, shutting the door behind him.

"Did you see how Julian walked along the top of the snow?" Zell whispered, sitting up as Squall prepared for bed. "That was crazy."

"He did sink a little," Squall pointed out.

"Not nearly as much as we did! We were in there up to our crotch, and the snow **maybe came to his ankles."**

"So, he found higher ground," Irvine suggested.

"I was walking right behind him!" Zell flopped down again, resting his arms behind his head and pouting. Here they went again, constantly trying to prove the young blonde wrong, or make him feel crazy. He rolled over to face the wall, pulling up the blankets over his head as he tried to sleep.

He drifted into an uneasy sleep to the sounds of Squall and Irvine discussing tomorrow's schedule.

-----------------------+-

_"Quickly! Hide in here!"_

_The woman he had grown up calling Mama dropping to her knees, lowering the small boy into the cave he used to play in as a child. He gazed up at her from the cave floor, her panting echoing loud in his ears. Why did Mama look so tired? Why was her skin so cold when he had touched it?_

_Her face disappeared from view, and growls echoed in the quiet of his hideout._

_"What are you waiting for?!" he heard his mother scream. "Shinigami's coming for me already! End it!"_

_"Mama..?" he whispered softly, tears welling up in the corners of his gray eyes._

_The growls grew louder, muffled only by the sounds of ripping fabric. His eyes grew wide in fear and his bottom lip trembled. He couldn't hear his mama any more; where had she gone?_

_"Mama?"___

_A large dog's muzzle stabbed into the opening of the cave, covered in a thick, dark liquid he couldn't name. It snarled and snapped, trying to squeeze into the opening. It yelped suddenly, disappearing again from view._

_"Be gone!" a familiar voice screamed, yelps and howls rising in the night air. A soft thump could be heard above him, and soft cries wrenched his heart. "Oh, Emily. Why didn't you run like I asked? We have a cure; we found the cure."_

_"Mama!" he screamed, reaching for the opening of the cave. "Mama!!_

_"Mama, come back to me!"_

[ end part iii ]


	5. Chapter IV

Heart of the Soul: Chapter IV

By: Eval Chylde

_How can we all be sure of our own existence? Are we really our own selves, or just a spawn of that which has already lived? And what if we met the body which harvested our soul in a previous life, face to face? Would we handle the truth, or deny it with all our heart and mind?_

_That which was never meant to be forgotten, was lost._

-----------------------+-

"Are you sure he's near here, my lord?"

Tristin gazed up at the moon, looming over head as he stepped out onto the train platform. Because this small town in the mountain relied so heavily on the imports that arrived on the trains, they ran them all through the day. The tenants and men unloading the merchandise watched him curiously; it was a rare event that a passenger came on the night train.

"I am certain," he replied, his native accent rolling with ease off his tongue. Men of his age rarely remembered their mother language, but he could like he had learned it yesterday. These young men gathering his things, of course, did not know that language.

He turned his attention to the working men, smiling warmly at them. His fair skin glowed with the moonlight, his sleek black hair kissed with silver. His green eyes gleamed softly, the dark pools unreadable and almost empty.

"Come; we will rest for now and begin our search when the sun begins to set again."

"Yes, my lord," the three men replied in unison. They gathered the luggage and followed after their master to the carriage that awaited them.

_I will find him, my beloved._

-----------------------+-

Quistis stood on the veranda of her room, looking out over the bright mountains. She squinted at the sky, sipping at her hot cocoa as she pushed her hair back.

"Why did you decide to tag along?" she asked softly, looking over her shoulder.

"I think you rookies could use my help," Seifer replied, pushing off the door. "And, you did ask me. Who am I to refuse the request of a lady?"

Quistis laughed softly, offering the ex-SeeD some of her cocoa. He took a tiny sip, smiling warmly at her. She found herself blushing and unable to tear her eyes away from her old student. Clearing her throat, she turned and led the way back into the room.

"I think you know a little more about these creatures that have been attacking us than you're letting on."

"Maybe I do," he chuckled, following her. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see, eh?"

There was a soft knock at her door, and Julian's voice spoke soft against the wood. "Miss Quistis; breakfast is ready."

"I'll be down in a moment; thank you, Julian." She turned to Seifer, gasping softly as he disappeared from view over the balcony. She went to the window, seeing him trudging through the snow toward his horse. Smiling softly, she shut the window and set down her mug. The blonde woman quickly dressed into warmer clothes, silently going downstairs to join the others.

In the kitchen, there was a small breakfast nook where everyone had seated themselves. They were already eating, Zell and Irvine teasing Squall already. Chuckling softly, Quistis sat down and smiled warmly at the two gentlemen she didn't recognize.

"Miss Quistis, this is Gabriel DeLumiar," Julian informed her as he gestured to one of the strange men at the table. He had pitch black hair cut short and casually spiked up. His icy blue eyes were small and piercing, but the slightest hint of amusement and friendliness shone through. He was incredibly pale, and his black hair had streaks of gray and white through it. Quistis began to wonder just how old this man was.

"And this is Ashe Kyper," he introduced. He had warm, amber eyes that shone like a wild animal's. His hair just touched his chin, the colour of the deepest ashes. It, too, had lighter streaks through it; it was almost like his hair was also turning white. Under the casual clothing he wore, she could tell there was a strong, athletic body.

Ashe stood, took her hand and bowed, smiling warmly before sitting down again. She smiled and bowed back, sitting next to Zell at the table. Her plate was already set; a pile of pancakes covered with strawberries and whipped crème greeted her, accompanied by a slice of toast, milk, and a steaming cup of coffee.

"I was not sure how you liked it, m'lady," Julian informed her, "so I let it be. Whatever you like, I'm sure we have."

"Just sugar will be fine, thank you," she replied, accepting the bowl from Ashe. He seemed to be watching her, but she could feel his gaze was going beyond her. What could Mr. Kyper possibly be looking at?

"So!" Zell asked, scooping up some pancakes. "How about answering my question?"

"I felt it important for Miss Quistis to hear both the question and the answer, Zell," Julian replied.

"Why are you guys up here?" Irvine asked for the blonde, who was busy keeping the mass of hotcakes in his mouth.

"The same reason I am; investigating a rare animal never seen before by any man."

"We ourselves only have verbal accounts of their presence in these mountains, but we believe that they are the animals which attacked you last evening," Gabriel explained.

Ashe nodded and smiled softly. "We have been asked to gather the animals, bring them to our employers, and have them dealt with."

"'Dealt with?'" Quistis inquired. "It sounds almost like you're going to kill them."

Julian laughed softly, sipping at his coffee. "We certainly hope it won't ever come to that."

"But, they're a rare animal," she continued. "Wouldn't you want to try to keep as many alive as possible?"

"Of course, madam," Ashe replied. "But, if they are too dangerous for even us to handle then they must be dealt with."

"We will join you on your investigation of the murder of the wiseman of Yukino," Gabriel informed them. "We believe these beasts are linked with that murder."

"He was killed by human-made weapons, not torn apart by an animal."

Everyone looked over at Squall, who had been sitting silently at the bay window overlooking the valley since he had come downstairs.

Ashe lowered his head, his long bangs casting a deep shadow over his eyes. "These animals are much more intelligent than you may believe them to be. Think back to when you were attacked at the cave. Would a normal animal known that those old rocks could have crumbled with a good, hard blow? No; they would have stuck their muzzles in and snapped at you, eventually giving up and leaving."

"Especially since the cave is much larger than it used to be, and you could have easily stayed out of it's reach. Muzzle or paw."

"Now, how the hell do you know that, Zell?" Irvine asked after a long pause.

The blonde looked up from poking at his food and stared back at everyone. "I-I don't know. It just kind of popped out."

They sat in silence before Julian stood and gathered up his dishes. "Come; we'll rest for right now and gather supplies for the trip. We'll leave at dusk; they move under the cover of darkness and will be resting for the day."

Quistis began gathering her plate, but was shooed away by Julian. She wandered over to the window and sat down next to Squall, smiling softly at him.

She was about to ask him what he thought about this when he spoke up first.

"They're hiding something from us," he said.

"You don't think they're lying?" she asked taking a drink of milk.

"No," he snorted. "They're just leaving something out; some minor detail. They're not lying at all." He looked over at his past instructor, his eyes narrowing. "As are you."

Squall stood before she could argue the fact and turned his back on her. "He can't follow us forever, Quistis. And he cannot interfere with this mission; I won't be afraid to turn him in."

Quistis watched him go, smiling to herself. Squall had been rivals with Seifer their entire lives; it would take a little longer for him to accept the new Seifer. Maybe even longer than Zell would take warming up to the bully. She was sure Irvine had already begun to trust Seifer, like she did; he'd never had a problem with the hot-headed blonde.

Her tiny smile curled into a crooked grin, and she quickly hid it behind her cup. Seifer would continue to follow and help from a distance, no matter how much Squall threatened.

-----------------------+-

The moonlight shone softly over the calm ocean waters, the darkness of the night just starting to settle in. Behind them, the sun began slipping behind the treetops and creeping out of view.

Nikalos sat on a beach towel, thumbing at the strings of his guitar. The three girls were running around, squealing their heads off as they splashed each other with the cooling water. He paused to watch them, smiling softly as Teresa knocked Selphie to the ground and started tickling her.

The young man was happy that the girls could enjoy themselves, playing like the children they really were. But, they still had a mission to do, and in some ways he felt Rinoa and Selphie had forgotten that. They couldn't exactly hunt Teresa's attacker down and throw them in jail; she never saw his face or any distinctive features. She did describe his ring on his pinky, but that had proved to be a dead-end. The family that ring belonged to died out nearly a hundred years ago.

Nikalos first played with the idea of the girl having dreamt the entire event; but, the bruises on her arms and scratches on her neck and chest where very real. Then he thought of a _vampir; there was no concrete evidence to support his theory, however, so he kept it quiet._

Rinoa waved shyly to him as he looked around, and he waved back. She was a quiet, sweet young lady; every time their eyes met, she would blush and try to look away. Yet another young girl with a crush on him, who would soon discover it was only a crush.

"Better go tell them we should head home," he muttered, setting down his guitar and pushing himself to his feet. An overwhelming feeling suddenly clutched at his heart, and a vision crashed down on his mind. He saw a beautiful flower, glistening in the moonlight as the dew settled on it. An unseen hand let a tiny drop of amber liquid fall to the flower's petals. It instantly withered and collapsed to the ground, crumbling into dust.

"Nikalos?"

Rinoa's face broke through the darkness of his vision and he stared at her for a moment. She tilted her head, her brow furrowing with concern.

"We should leave," he whispered. "Right now."

"Why? What's up?" Selphie asked, jogging up to them.

"It's getting late," he replied as he gathered his things. He averted his eyes from everyone's gaze, trying desperately to interrupt the vision he'd just had.

He stood and turned to them, reaching out to take Teresa's hand and usher her to the car. He heard something whiz by him and make contact with the flesh of the young girl's arm. Her eyes widened and stared down at the small dart in her arm; Teresa's mouth opened to say something, but no words came out.

"Ow," she finally slurred, her eyes rolling back in her head as she fell forward. Nikalos dropped his things instantly, catching her before she could hit the ground. Snarling, he yanked the dart from her arm and tossed it to the ground.

"Rinoa, Selphie," he whispered, picking up the girl and turning for the car.

"Way ahead of you, buddy," Selphie replied, running into the woods that separated them from the parking lot.

Soft music filled his ears as the water rose and rolled onto the beach around them. Bright light illuminated the beach, and a sweet voice echoed off the darkness. He turned and saw a winged woman, walking softly over the surface of the water as the waves continued to flow onto the beach.

"**_It's been a while, Rinoa," the woman said without moving her lips, her voice echoing itself in their minds._**

"Been a while since I really needed you, Siren. But, right now we need your speed and wings." She turned and pointed into the woods. "Someone shot a dart at this young lady; she was also attacked just a few days ago, and we think the two could be connected."

"**_Wait here; I'll search for them." In a flutter of rainbow-coloured feathers, she took off into the woods. The light faded from where they stood, and the water slowly began receding. Darkness again settled over them, and the sounds of the beach were all they heard._**

"I'll get Teresa to the car before they decide to return for their prize," Nikalos whispered, trudging through the sand back to the parking lot. He was so distracted with where he was going, he didn't notice the blush beginning to grow along Teresa's cheeks.

-----------------------+-

After what President Deling had done to Galbadia and their reputation, the people of Galbadia elected a new president and decided on a vice president to help keep things from getting out of hand. But, even in the greatest of men lies an undying greed. Having been handed one of the greatest governments in the world, both became easily corrupted.

Vice President Richard Green stumbled along drunkenly as he tried singing one of the songs he had heard at the bar. He was an elderly man, older than their new president by at least fifteen years. Even when the man wasn't drunk, he was sluggish. 

Out of the darkness before him, forms rose from the ground and blocked the path in front of him. He turned his head, seeing the alleyway behind him was blocked by figures as well. 

"You waste your time here, boys," he informed them with a slurred voice. "I've no money left, and kidnapping me will only lead to a war against you."

"Oh, we're hardly here to kidnap you, sir," a deep voice growled. The one who spoke stepped into the light, his green eyes glistening softly. "But, you will set a war into motion."

The other men pulled out weapons and began to advance. His eyes widened in fear, and his voice caught in his throat.

"Put this pathetic creature out of its misery," he ordered, stepping back into the darkness.

"No!" he managed to choke out before they flooded him, lashing out with all the hatred and disgust they held for his race as he fell to the ground. They stepped back, snarling at his lifeless carcass. The ginger-haired man who'd spoken to him grinned with satisfaction.

"Just one last problem to take care of," he said softly, more to himself than anyone else. They disappeared into the darkness again, the only evidence of their presence was a shattered Esthar rifle they tossed back into the alley.

-----------------------+-

Seifer sat up on a tree branch, munching on some dried fruit as he watched the SeeD group trudging through the snow with their new found companions. He lowered his binoculars, shoveling a handful of the dried mix into his mouth. They would probably pass right under him within the hour; the only ones that would notice him would be those three strange researchers.

He replaced the bag into his pocket and pulled out an apple, biting into it and chewing thoughtfully. He had a feeling these men were more than just researchers hunting down a rare animal. Why would researchers want to kill what they were searching for? There had to be more to this story than that.

The east was already beginning to show signs of dawn's first light, creeping over the mountaintops. They had gone nearly two nights without a single event. They moved at night and slept during the day, since Julian and the others insisted their quarry only moved at night.

Seifer caught naps here and there so he could be awake most of the day just incase these creatures decided to attack during the day anyway. Animals were rarely that predictable. They were smart enough, however, to take turns keeping watch as the others slept.

He raised his binoculars again, seeing that they were already beginning to set up camp. Zell was down already, his backpack still on his shoulders. He chuckled softly as Ashe got the boy to his feet and dusted him off. He said something to Zell and reached down to put his gloved hand in the snow. Whatever he said certainly got Zell moving, and he instantly dropped his bag and began helping the others dig out a shelter.

"An amusing bunch of humans, are they not?" a cool, soft voice said beside him. He turned and stared in shock at the man sitting next to him. He looked just a bit older than Seifer, his black hair pushed back away from his face.

"You look so surprised to see me, boy," he chuckled. He turned at looked at Seifer, smiling softly. "You shouldn't be."

As soon as their eyes met, Seifer's vision went black. Flames rose up around him in the darkness, illuminating small buildings and people running all around him. He heard laughter ringing out, and metal scraping metal as armor clad arms were held out to the sky above him. Where was that laughing coming from? It was so close, so loud in his ears…

Like it was he who was laughing.

"Seifer?"

The vision faded as he slipped backwards, the trees again above him as he fell from his perch. He landed hard in the snow, flakes blurring his vision for a moment. When he blinked them away, the man was gone.

"Seifer?" Quistis' soft voice echoed through the trees as she came around a massive oak. She turned as saw him on the ground, laughing softly. "Taking a nap in the snow? Usually I find you asleep in a tree."

"No, I…" His voice trailed off and he sighed, letting her pull him to his feet. He looked down at her, smiling softly at her wide, crystal blue eyes. She seemed to be searching his face for something. What, he didn't know.

When he was her student, he had first noticed her beauty; as all who are in her class do. But, over time, she became just another obstacle to fulfilling his dream of becoming the sorceress' knight. Now that he wasn't blinded by foolishness and greed, he could again see the beauty in his tutor's eyes. He reached up and touched her jaw with his thumb, wishing he could feel her soft skin through this damn glove.

"We've, uh, set up camp," she informed him, not looking away. "I'm sure you know that, but I thought I'd say something anyway."

Seifer chuckled softly to himself. _I've never, in all my years of knowing her, ever heard Quistis use the word 'uh.'_

Clearing her throat she finally looked away, turning and heading back the way she had come. "I'd better get back to camp; they'll be wondering where I am."

"Squall probably knows where you are," Seifer said softly.

She paused and turned to look at him, smiling. "Ask me if I care," she shrugged, trudging through the snow on her trek back to their camp.

Seifer laughed softly, looking down and kicking at the snow. That woman was certainly full of surprises. Shaking his head, he gathered up his bags and went to find a tree to rest in that was a bit closer to them than he was. If he was needed, he hated to take too long getting to them just because of the damn snow.

Tristin gazed around the tree as he watched the boy go, smiling softly. _Soon, beloved, we will be together._

[end part iv]


End file.
